As wireless networks evolve and grow in complexity, there are ongoing challenges associated with reaching targeted coverage levels. Recently, in an effort to boost coverage and enhance throughput in wireless networks, network operators have proposed deployment of wireless devices capable of transmitting at a maximum allowable transmit power that is higher than a current maximum allowable transmit power of off-the-shelf wireless devices and/or other currently deployed low power wireless devices. As shown in Table 1 below, the maximum allowable transmit power for wireless devices can be defined by the power class of the wireless device.
TABLE 1Power Power Power Power Class 1Class 2Class 3Class 4Wireless Wireless Wireless Wireless Operat-DeviceDeviceDeviceDeviceingPowerTol.PowerTol.PowerTol.PowerTol.Band(dBm)(dB)(dBm)(dB)(dBm)(dB)(dBm)(dB)Band 31±226±223±221±2IBand ——26±223±221±2IIBand ————23±221±2III
For example, the maximum allowable transmit power level and tolerance (i.e., power error limits) with which wireless devices can transmit data on a given frequency band or sub-band (e.g., bands I-III) can be specified based on a pre-defined power class (e.g., power classes 1-4 illustrated in Table 1) of the wireless device rather than a physical maximum transmit capability of the wireless device. Off-the-shelf and/or other low-power wireless devices are currently defined in LTE as power class 3 and/or power class 4 wireless devices. Power class 3 and/or power class 4 low-power wireless devices (hereinafter referred to as standard or low-powered wireless devices, with the terms “standard” and “low” being equivalent and defined as any power level that is not “high”) can be configured with a maximum allowable transmit power level of +23 dBm for frequency bands I-III with a nominal power tolerance of ±2 dB (e.g., for E-UTRA bands). High-power class wireless devices (hereinafter referred to as high-powered wireless device) are currently defined as power class 1 or power class 2 wireless devices. Power class 1 and/or power class 2 high-power class wireless devices can be configured with a maximum allowable transmit power level of +26 dBm for frequency bands I-II with a nominal power tolerance ±2 dB (e.g., for E-UTRA bands), as illustrated in Table 1.
Further, high-powered wireless devices may cause undesirable interference to other wireless devices operating within the wireless network, particularly to standard-powered wireless devices that are utilizing the same frequency band or sub-band as the high-powered wireless devices, or when wireless devices of both high and standard power classes are configured to utilize the same duplexing method, such as time-division-duplexing (TDD).